Treatments
By using the 'Menu ↓' button you can quickly navigate to each treatment.
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Each treatment is specifically tailored to the individual patient and his or her heart disease or risk factors.
This is discussed with you by your treating cardiologist. On the left, you will find additional information about different types of treatments in cardiology.
Click here for more information on the WEBSITE of AZ Turnhout. |
Medication |
Stents |
A stent is a metal ‘framework’ with a polymer coating used to dilate narrowing at the level of the coronary arteries. It has almost completely replaced the former balloon dilation. The stent is gradually embedded because a new layer of tissue forms over the 'mesh' of the stent. There are two types of stents, the 'naked' 'bare metal' stents (BMS) and the 'drug-eluting' stents (DES). Stenting always involves a'cardiac catheterization with coronarography' and is performed at the Cathlab.
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Pacemaker / Defibrillator |
A pacemaker is a device that is implanted in patients with arrhythmias where the heart rate becomes too slow. The electrical signals in the heart are continuously measured via 1 or 2 electrodes in the heart chambers. The pacemaker then gives an impulse only when needed. The battery of the current devices lasts on average 7 to 10 years. The implantation is done under local anaesthetic and requires a hospital stay of 2 nights.
A cardiac resynchronization pacemaker is a special pacemaker with a third electrode inserted to the left side of the heart to give a perfectly synchronous stimulation of the heart. Used in specific cases of heart failure.Leaflet (dutch)
A defibrillator is a
device that can deliver an electric shock in case of a
life-threatening arrhythmia. In certain cases, when the risk of such
arrhythmias is rated as high by your cardiologist, this may be
advised as a preventive measure against sudden death.
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PFO / ASD closure |
The patent foramen ovale or PFO and atrium septum defect or ASD are 2 forms of an opening between the two front chambers (atria) of the heart (see figure below).Everyone has a
foramen ovale until the time of birth. In the fetus there is
still a connection between the systemic circulation (left part
of the heart) and the smaller lung circulation (right part of
the heart) through the foramen. Treatment The patent foramen ovale can be closed in two ways: by open heart surgery or by percutanee closure with an 'umbrella'.
The possibility of a percutaneous closure is always considered. An ultrasound has already estimated the size of the patent foramen ovale. Depending on technical issues and expert opinion, the decision on which closure technique is made.The closure of a PFO is done with a cardiac catheterization through the groin, under a short general anaesthetic.Course
Through the
catheter, an ‘umbrella’ is brought in to close the opening. The
umbrella is folded open and pulled over the opening against the
left side. The catheter is pulled back to the right side of the
opening and the second part of the umbrella is unfolded in the
same way. The result is checked by ultrasound and contrast
injection (some patients are allergic to the contrast dye and
have to report this to the nurse on admission).
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Ablation |
Certain arrhythmias are eligible for ‘radiofrequency or cryo-ablation' via a catheter through the groin. Depending on the location of the arrhythmia, such ablation can be relatively simple or quite complex, and can be done under slight sedation or general anesthesia.For electrophysiological studies and ablation we work closely with Ziekenhuis Oost Limburg in Genk. The procedure itself does not take place in AZ Turnhout, but the preoperative consultations and follow-ups do.Click here for the dutch patient information leaflet (ZOL) Below you will find a link to videos from ZOL Genk about ablation of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. |
Cardiac surgery |
There is a variety of heart surgeries and for this we work closely with the University Hospital in Leuven. The most common procedures are: coronary bypass and valve surgery. The latter can be done by surgical intervention or by percutaneous technique.Percutaneous technique means the following:- valve replacement or repair technique via a catheter through the groin or other large blood vessel.- These are often called TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation) or Mitraclip ®. Because the chest does not need to be opened, the recovery is usually much quicker.- To see if an individual patient is eligible, careful assessment is done and the case is always discussed in a "Heart team" meeting with cardiologists and heart surgeons of UZ Leuven.Click here to go to the website of Cardiac Surgery UZ Leuven. |
Cardiac rehabilitation |
Cardiac rehabilitation in AZ Turnhout is a service with a supervised program for physical exercise to help people recovering from myocardial infarction, stent implantation, heart failure or after heart surgery. This by Dr. Bekaert, Dr. Debie and their team, in a multidisciplinary environment.Click here for the dutch patient information leaflet. Telephone number cardiac rehabilitation: 014 44 44 86. Below is a video that gives an idea about the Cardiac Rehabilitation Service. |
Poli Heart failure |
Op een aparte raadpleging voor hartfalen patiënten wordt meer tijd genomen om het complexe probleem van hartfalen te benaderen, met aandacht voor de individuele situatie van elke patient , op medisch maar ook op psychosociaal vlak. U wordt gezien door zowel de gespecialiseerde hartfalen verpleegkundige als de hartfalen cardioloog. Zo nodig gebeurt een extra controle van een pacemaker of ICD en wordt de medicatie aangepast.Klik hier voor de brochure i.v.m. Hartfalen. |